Luis Suarez has hugely matured in the four years since he disgraced himself at the World Cup by biting an Italian opponent, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said yesterday.

Suarez (31) arrives at this year's tournament looking to dispel the memory of the infamous bite on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini in Brazil in 2014, as well as the goalline handball that earned him a sending-off in the quarter-final against Ghana four years earlier.

"What happened in Brazil is part of real life and it's been a lesson for him to achieve greater maturity not only as a footballer but away from the pitch," Tabarez said ahead of Uruguay's opening Group A match against Egypt today.

"He's prepared a lot. He's got the right mindset for this World Cup, and I do believe he's meeting all my expectations. He comes to the World Cup with a great deal of maturity so we are going to really capitalise on him.

"After the draw, I remember journalists from Uruguay talking about the quarter-finals as if this was a walk in the park and I told them off. We have enormous respect for our opponents."